Toothbrush construction



March 18*, 1'958 H. PSILOS TQOTHBRUSH CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 15. 1957United Sta-I6 t 2,826,775 TOOTI-IBRUSH CONSTRUCTION Helen Psilos,Ludlow, Mass. Application January 15, 19 57, Serial No. 634,376 3Claims. ..(Cl. 15-137) This invention relates to improvements intoothbrush construction.

The principal objects of this invention are directed to the provision oftoothbrush construction, wherein a dispenser for toothpaste and the likeis insertable into the handle of the toothbrush and is in communicationwith channel means for supplying the brush head with toothpaste. Aseparate propeller associated with a cap for the end of the handle isadapted for operating a piston of the dispenser to displace toothpastefrom the dispenser, said propeller being insertable in the handle whennot in use.

Various changes and modifications may be made in the form of thetoothbrush without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention,which for purposes of disclosure is shown in the accompanying drawingswherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a toothbrush embodying the novelfeatures of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevational view on the line 2-2 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the dispenser of the toothbrush;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the combined cap and propeller ofthe toothbrush; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the toothbrush shown in Fig. 1 withthe propeller in operative engagement with the piston of the dispenser.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the novel features of theinvention will be more fully explained.

The toothbrush is constructed to have an elongated handle 2 and abristle head 4, from which extend tufts of bristles 6.

As shown, the handle 2 is provided with an open ended longitudinal bore8 having a socket 10 at its inner end. A channel 12 extends from thesocket 10 into the head 4, and discharge ports 14 extend from saidchannel for discharging toothpaste to the bristles.

The handle and bore therein are shown as being rectangular in crosssection, but obviously they may have any desired cross sectional shape.

An elongated dispenser 16 is insertable in the bore of the handle, andhas an outer open end 18 with a tubular discharge neck 20 at its innerend. Said dispenser is insertable in the bore of the handle in such amanner as to seat the neck 20 in the socket 10, at the inner end of thehandle bore. The dispenser, of course, is withdrawable from the handlebore when empty.

A piston 22 is reciprocable in the dispenser and has a recess ordepression 24, in the outer side thereof, to receive the outer end of apropeller.

With the dispenser in the bore of the handle so that the neck 20 thereofis seated in the socket 10, toothpaste, represented by 25, is dischargedby inward movement of the piston so that it flows through the channel12, and out the ports 14.

The outer end of the dispenser projects outwardly of the outer end ofthe handle, when in the bore thereof, as shown, for manual engagement tofacilitate withdrawal of the dispenser.

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A cap 30 .isarranged to frictionally engage the outer piston propeller32 fixed thereto and extendingtherefrom.

"With thecap 30 in place on the open end of therhandle, the propeller isdisposedin the bore of the-handle,-and along aside of the dispenser. Thedispenser and bore of the handle are proportionedforsaiddisposition ofthe propeller.

With'the dispenserdisposed in the bore of the handle,

and connected with the socket of the bore, the cap may be removed-fromthe-handle. The end'of-the propeller is then seatedinthe 'depression'ofthe'dispenser piston; as shown in Fig. 5.

Pressure applied by the propeller against the piston moves said pistoninwardly of the dispenser so that a supply of toothpaste is displacedfrom the dispenser into and through the channel and out the ports in thehead 4.

When the desired supply of toothpaste has been discharged from thedispenser, the cap may be applied to the open end of the handle with thepropeller disposed in the bore adjacent the dispenser. The cap closesthe end of the handle bore as well as the end of the dispenser.

The toothbrush may be formed from various types of plastic as may thecap and propeller. The dispenser may be formed from plastic material orsome one of the metals used for collapsable tubes and the like.

The dispenser is readily and easily insertable in and removable from thebore of the handle to facilitate replacing of an empty dispenser with afilled one. Toothpaste in the dispenser is easily displaced therefrom bymoving the piston inwardly by the propeller.

The propeller is inserted in the handle bore, and the open end of thehandle bore and dispenser are capped when not in use.

Altogether the construction is compact and convenient for use and afresh supply of toothpaste is readily facilitated.

Various changes and modifications may be made in the form of thetoothbrush, without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention, which has been disclosed in the form at present preferred. Itis desired to be limited, if at all, by the appended claims rather thanthe foregoing disclosure.

It is desired to claim and secure the following by Letters Patent of theUnited States:

1. Toothbrush construction comprising in combination, a toothbrushhaving an elongated handle terminating in a bristle head at the innerend thereof, said handle provided with a longitudinal bore extendinginwardly from an open end thereof at the outer end of the handle andwith a socket at the inner end of said bore, said head provided with anelongated channel extending from said socket and with ports extendingoutwardly from said channel, an elongated tubular toothpaste dispenserin the bore of said handle having an outer open end and provided with adischarge neck on its inner end for seating in the socket of said bore,a piston movable axially inwardly of said dispenser, adjacentlongitudinal sides of said bore of said handle and dispenser spacedapart to receive a propeller therebetween, a cap frictionally engagingthe outer end of said handle having an elongated propeller fixed to andextending therefrom and adapted to be inserted between the spaced apartsides of said dispenser and handle bore with said cap on the outer endof said handle, said piston provided with a recess on the outer sidethereof for receiving the outer end of the propeller whereby said pistonmay be advanced inwardly of the dispenser by said propeller.

2. Toothbrush construction comprising in combination, an elongatedhandle and a head at the inner end of said handle provided with bristlesdepending therefrom, said handle provided with a longitudinal boreextending from an open end thereof at the outer end of the handle andterminnating at its inner end in a socket adjacent said head, saidheadprovided with an elongated channel extending from said socket and withdischarge ports extending outwardly-from said channel to said bristles,an

elongated tubular dispenser. having a discharge neck on its inner endand being open at itsouter end, said dispenser being insertable in thebore of the handle with the neck thereof seated 1 in' said socket andwithdrawable' therefrom, said dispenserand bore of-the handle arrangedwith the dispenser in-said bore to provide between adjacent sides of thedispenser and bore a space for a propeller, a piston movableaxiallyninwardly of said dispenser having a propeller receiving recessin the outer side thereof,

a cap for engaging the outer endof the handle and over- 15 lying theopen ends of said handle bore and dispenser,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 29,805Middleton Aug. 28, 1860 1,362,937 Grace Dec. 21, 1920 1,849,893 VonRadics Mar. 15, 193"

